A Song of Time and War
by sansatyler
Summary: The King in the North is desperate for help. With a priestess on their side, she summons some travelers to assist the King. How can they help and will they do more bad than good? Pairings: Robb/Clara
1. Chapter 1

_Set during the third book a Storm of Swords except Stannis has been defeated, the story will explain itself throughout. Romance will happen throughout the story but not in the first chapter. I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

He was losing the war.

Each day his men were dying, he did not have enough clothing and food to provide for his solders and winter was indeed coming. With Stannis defeated and his head ornamenting Kings Landing, Robb believed he would be in favor for the war. But the majority of the Baratheon's bannermen bent the knee to the Lannisters, some even the Greyjoys, few to himself- the King in the North.

With the Lannisters men doubled, Robb lost his first battle; not only was it a crushing defeat on his numbers, but also his pride. Robb was beginning to realize he could lose everything he was fighting for.

He was working day and night, planning his next move, the few men on his council that he could truly trust, along with his mother were currently in his tent discussing strategies.

"Kill the Kingslayer and send the Bitch Queen his head, that'll show her who's truly winning." Lord Karstark urged. Robb considered it but his mother's pleas to keep him as captive and that Jamie Lannister was more valuable alive than dead won him over.

Lady Catelyn started her argument against the lord, "With Jamie dead, the Queen would have no reason to keep my daughters alive, Lord Karstark. Robb you can't kill him." his mother begged once more, he would never consider giving a reason for Cersei to kill his sisters Sansa and Ayra. In fact, they weren't sure if Ayra was in King's Landing, never hearing a word from or about her.

But Jamie Lannister was getting more and more comfortable in his prison chains and mocked anybody who went near him. He would even ridicule people in King's Landing, openly despising the dead King Robert, and spilling lies about Robb's father Ned Stark. It was enough to want to kill the Kingslayer with his bare hands.

"Your Grace, you have a visitor, she demands that you speak with her immediately." one of Robb's knights ran inside, interrupting the council while looking flushed. Robb focused back to the council and wondered who she could be, the only woman he could think of was his mother, and she was sitting right beside him.

"Who is it Ser Maudark?" the King questioned.

"Melisandre, Stannis's Red Queen."

* * *

"Hello Robb Stark." Melisandre's velvety voiced purred through her lips as she entered the King's tent. Her gown was red along with her hair and the large ruby resting on her bosom. Everything about her was red even her white skin seemed to be bathed in blood, oozing a fatal glow.

"Your Grace, Melisandre, Robb is the King." Catelyn Stark bit back. She was furious that Melisandre dared showed her face. Lady Stark refused to leave her son's side when he dismissed his council upon the red woman's arrival. She saw the dark magics she used to murder Renly and refused to let the same fate happen to Robb.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't have your head on a spike, Melisandre." The King widened his shoulders and stood taller as the anger in his voice rose.

"The Lord of Light tells me that you will die without me, Robb Stark. I'm sure you know about the Others in the North and the night that never ends will soon follow with your death. You need me Robb Stark." the priestess edged closer, heat radiating from her body. The days have been getting colder and shorter but she wore no furs.

"And why should we trust you? You led Stannis to his death." Catelyn retorted, not believing for a moment that the red woman could help her eldest son.

"Because I know where your children are." her attention turning to Catelyn. "I know that Bran and Rickon are not dead, and neither is Ayra who has not been in Kings Landing since your lord husband was beheaded. I know who Jon Snow really is and that Sansa will be a Lannister soon. And without me all your children will die." Melisandre turned to Robb, he looked back and forth at the women until finally deciding their fates.

"How can you help us."

* * *

"Where would you like to go? Anywhere in the universe! Your pick!" the Doctor asked his friend.

"I always pick, you pick this time, your favorite place!" Clara offered.

"I have many favorite places Clara. You know, I'm feeling a bit hungry lets stop by Suondu and swim in the ice cream rivers, sound fun?"

"Lets do it." the companion added with a grin. The timelord began tinkering with the controls on the TARDIS. Clara headed towards the hall leading to her room, thinking about what to wear to go ice cream river swimming, when the ship violently jolted forward and back, side to side, throwing the two travelers around.

"What's going on?!" Clara yelled as she held onto the railing, attempting to wrap her legs around it and not fall off the control room floor, down the stairs.

"I don't know!" he responded trying to hold onto the controls and stop whatever was happening with the TARDIS. As they were yanked back and forth for what seemed like an hour the ship stopped abruptly. There wasn't the usual noise that came along with landing to their destination. The two became suspicious of just how they got there, and where exactly _there_ was.

The Doctor was the first to stand up and head towards the door, but instead of his usual adventurous and excitable attitude, he was cautious and asked Clara to wait. He reached for his sonic screw driver before opening the TARDIS door. Clara started to follow, too curious to wait inside and trailed behind her friend outside into the cold.

A woman wearing a thin red dress stood before them, and a man and woman donned in furs stood far behind her. "Hello Clara, the King of the North needs your help."


	2. Chapter 2

_Sorry that it's taking so long to update, I try to update at least once a week, but school is taking up so much of my time. Reviews motivate me to write faster so thank you thank you thank I love you guys and I hope you enjoy. _

* * *

"So we're in a tv show?" Clara asked as she paced around the TARDIS.

"Of course not Clara, it's a tv show adapted from a book series."

"So we're in a book series?"

"No, we're interrupting a universe. We shouldn't be here. We shouldn't be in this universe. When a writer writes a story or a person has a dream or anybody creates anything, it creates it's own universe."

"And we shouldn't be here," Clara stopped walking, "then how did we get here?"

"I'm not sure, but the TARDIS needs to fuel up, and luckily this place is so full of radiation that we should be out of here in a few days." the Doctor was pleased with himself for coming to that realization but Clara was not.

Melisandre told them that Clara was needed, not the Doctor. Why was she needed? And how could this woman even know of her existence, let alone control the TARDIS to come here beyond the Doctor's ability to stop it? Clara continued pacing around the control room until finally deciding to head towards the hall of the TARDIS that led to her room. She didn't want to be around the Doctor because he seemed very adamant about leaving this universe, but she had to understand why she was brought here and why she alone was needed.

As Clara ventured towards her room, she recalled the conversation that the five of them had together, although, it was mostly the red woman talking to her. _The people of Westeros need you Clara, I cannot explain how, but you'll figure it out on your own, you only need to stay by the King's side. _Melisandre told her, she recalled how this king looked. Young, maybe around her own age, too young to have been a king for very long. Too young to led a war, but he had to know more than Clara did, why would he need her? The Doctor has seen many wars, he could be more useful to him. Robb Stark, Melisandre informed Clara of the King's name, was fighting many in every which direction. _What am I doing here?_ Clara thought to herself for the umpteenth time.

"Well, I guess we'll find out." she declared to herself outloud.

* * *

"A blue box? How can they fit in there? Won't it be crowded?" Robb questioned once the two foreigners were out of sight.

"It's bigger on the inside, Your Grace. Now when she decides to assist you, you must be understanding with her. She's not from here and does not know the courtesies of approaching a king." Melisandre informed. Why was he still letting her help him? For she could be plotting against him and he would be blindly allowing her.

"What is she to do, she's nearly naked." Catelyn chimed in. She was horrified by the two travelers and wanted Melisandre's head decorating the camp. The thing keeping his mother from clawing her eyes out was the hope of seeing her lost children again.

Robb was getting frustrated along with being more and more confused, he demanded to know what was going on and who this Clara woman was. How could she could possibly help him win a war. After standing around for what seemed an eternity, he walked forward, reaching for the door handle of the box where the two entered. But before he could yank the door open, the small girl walked out of the box, coming face to face Robb stiffened and tried to find his words again.

"Lady Clara," he cleared his throat, "what is your decision on assisting me in this war?" the King questioned, stepping away from her giving a few steps distance.

"I'll help you out," she started walking around looking at Melisandre and his mother, "but call me Clara and I'll call you Robb." his expression faltered as the woman commanded him with a smile.

* * *

"Clara what are you doing?" the Doctor stumbled out after Clara announced her decision. "I told you we shouldn't be here and we definitely shouldn't meddle with things!"

"Doctor if we ever actually paid attention to your ridiculous rules then we probably would never get into trouble." the companion retorted. Frankly she was sick of the Doctor telling her what to do lately. He was extremely careful with her as if she were a little child. When she wanted to do something of her own desires he'd scold her while he made even worse mistakes. She knew he didn't mean to make her feel that way, but she had to address the problem. Clara wasn't a glass doll, she was a human being and that was more than he was. "We have to be here a few days anyway so we might as well help, don't you agree Robb?" The King nodded and seemed surprised to be addressed.

"Clara if you are to help we must start immediately, for the night is dark and full of terrors. We haven't much time." the way Melisandre spoke was different than Robb and Catelyn talked although she didn't hear them speak much so far, for fear of the Doctor and herself she was sure. But even the woman's persona was different, as if she was holding dark secrets. Although she wouldn't admit it, Clara was a little afraid of her.

"Then Robb and I will talk alone." Clara announce, thinking she could get some alone time with the King, she could fully understand what was going on. But after her statement, a gasp escaped from Catelyn's lips.

"If you are to talk to my son then I shall be there as well. I know Melisandre's tricks and I will not be fooled to believe that you are not apart of them," by the end of her declaration she was toe to toe with Clara.

"Of-of course. Is there somewhere we can talk?" she didn't mind Catelyn joining them, what she really wanted was to talk without Melisandre listening, it was obvious they did not trust her and she had to know why. She had so many questions.

"Lady Melisandre would you like to go for a walk?" The Doctor offered.

"Melisandre is fine, my Lord of Time," she added with a smirk, throwing the Doctor off guard. Clara knew it must have been driving him mad wondering how she knew of them and how to call the TARDIS.

* * *

The three of them sat in a small room as they ate hard bread, salt, and beer.

"I apologize for the little food I can offer you, my lady. Food has been scarce and I refuse to eat better than my men, you must understand." Robb spoke as he lifted his drink to his lips.

"Clara. And no worries." She reiterated her desire for him to call her by her name, but it felt odd to call a strange guest by their name. Robb began to wonder where this woman came from.

His mother silently sat on his side as Clara was the opposite of them. The King began to informed her of all the problems in Westeros. The illegitimate king sitting the Iron Throne, the Others beyond the Wall that his half brother Jon Snow informed him of through raven, and his siblings scattered around gods know where. As he talked, Clara would chime in, relating their problems with similar ones from her own land. The words she used were strange to him and when he'd asked what "the telly" or "google" was she'd laugh and explain with even stranger words. The sound of laughter and seeing her smile made him happier than he ever remembered being. It had to have been because of the war. All his men ever talked about was war and death, hunger and pain, and the inevitable battles that were to come. Occasionally there was crude laughter over stories of what they planned on doing after the war. The brothels they planned on visiting, and who they planned on fucking. But then a cold silence would hover over them and they'd remember that most, if not all, would never be able to carry out those plans.

"So tell me about Melisandre. What is she?" Clara asked. Robb turned to his mother. He looked at her for answers, _how can we explain this witch? We don't even know what she is or what she's capable of,_ he thought to himself.

"We don't know, but we know we cannot trust her." Clara looked at him with understanding eyes. _She's just as confused as we are, she isn't evil like the red priestess. But if she's so evil, then why is she helping us._

He decided he could trust Clara enough. She reminded him a bit of his lost sisters. Bold and brave like Ayra, charming and kind like Sansa. He missed his siblings more than he let on. Robb knew his mother was suffering every moment they weren't trying to find them. He saw it in the lines of her face and the strain in her voice when she spoke of them.

After Robb discussed all that was happening in the lands he was fighting for, Clara proposed they take a walk. She linked her arm in his as they walked through the camp with his mother on his left and Clara on his right, it was late at night with a few men standing guard but most of his men were sound asleep. When he started to talk about Melisandre and how she came to him, a light snow began to fall and Clara started shivering.

"Robb, let us go to my tent, the girl is very little covered we must clothe her immediately." Catelyn stated. Robb knew his mother was a kind woman and normally would accept anybody who is willing to help him and his family, but she was very weary of anybody associated with Melisandre. Although he never truly knew what happened to Renly Baratheon his mother swore on the old gods and the new it had to do with that mysterious woman. And now that a new person of Melisandre's doing was here it put his widowed mother on edge.

"Stay out here my boy it would be indecent for you to be in the presence of a lady changing," Catelyn asserted. Robb nodded and backed away letting the two women proceed as Clara looked up at him while walking into the tent she gave a small smile and he suddenly started to wonder her relationship to the Doctor.

* * *

Clara followed Catelyn into her tent hoping for warmth and clothing. She was wearing a maroon dress with sleeves to her elbows and the hem reaching her knees, it definitely wasn't a dress fit for snow. As they walked in there was a fire going and two younger looking women awaiting Catelyn's needs.

"Find some furs and a gown to put on this girl." she said with a calm command in her voice. In other circumstances Clara believed she could really like Catelyn, but she was so protective of her son it made her seem threatening. As they searched for clothing, Catelyn turned to Clara.

"I don't know who you are or what Melisandre is up to but if you hurt my son I will hurt you, do you understand?" the woman spoke with a quick and steely tongue, "I've lived months believing my two youngest sons dead, and one of my daughters lost or murdered in the woods. My eldest daughter is captive to the king we fight against and she could be dead with any decision we make, any day now. I have fought a man's knife from my son's throat with my bare hands and I have left my husband's lands to stand by the only child I can protect. He is all I have and I don't know if I'll see my other children ever again, so when I say I'll hurt you I mean that I will harm you in ways no man could."

Clara was taken aback. Although Lady Stark was threatening death to her it gave Clara a high respect for the King's mother. _She fought a knife off with her bare hands? Badass. _Clara thought to herself.

"I only want to help you and your family." the companion spoke slowly, nervous that if she said the wrong words it'd throw Lady Catelyn off edge. "I think I have a plan."


End file.
